Buffing the Polish
by Anistan Summers
Summary: Ray is feeling a bit uncomfortable with the plans that Debra has made for the both of them.


**Buffing the Polish**

"Ray, come on," Debra said encouragingly, rubbing the hand moisturizer into her skin.

"Ah, I dunno," Ray thought out loud.

"Let's do it. It'll be fun," Debra nudged her shoulder against Ray's, "and the kids can spend the day with your mother."

"Ah honey," Ray whined, pulling the covers up, "I'll think about it."

The two situated themselves under the warm covers and turned the lights off. Night turned to morning and soon it was time to start another day.

"So," Debra handed Ray a cup of fresh hot coffee, "did you think about it?"

"What'd you mean, did I think about it?" Ray asked, "I've been awake for like twenty minutes. My brain isn't functioning yet."

"Oh, Ray," Debra said, "since when does your brain turn on and off from actually functioning?"

"Since you mentioned asking my mother to watch the kids this Saturday." Ray said before taking a sip of the eye opening coffee.

"Good morning," Marie said, opening the door with one hand and balancing a foil covered baking pan in the other.

"Hi Ma," Ray greeted.

"Hi Marie," Debra said.

"I made breakfast casserole," Marie said as she gently set it on top of the stove. "And it just came out of the oven."

"Thanks Ma," Ray said.

"No problem dear," Marie gently patted Ray's cheek, "Anything for my boy."

"Hey Marie," Debra asked, "Since you're here, we were wondering –"

"Debra don't," Ray interrupted her, knowing what she was going to ask.

"Wondering what?" Marie asked.

"It's nothing Ma," Ray insisted.

"Actually," Debra attempted to finish her question, "we were wondering if maybe you could watch the kids for a few hours this Saturday?"

"Ah no," Ray said.

"Well sure," Marie gladly said, "I would love too. It'll give me some time to bond with my grand kids. All you had to do was ask."

"That would be great," Debra commented.

"Okay, see you later then," Marie opened the door, "And hurry and eat that while it's warm." Marie said about the breakfast casserole before closing the door behind her.

"See?" Debra said, "That wasn't so bad."

"I guess not, "Ray said as he took a seat at the kitchen table.

"Ray," Debra said as she got two plates down from the cabinet, "you are going to love the spa on Saturday. It is so relaxing."

"Yeah?" He asked.

"I think so," Debra convincingly said as she scooped a helping of breakfast casserole onto each plate.

Debra and Ray ate breakfast together for the first time in quite sometime. Afterwards, Ray got ready for work and Debra dropped the kids off at school. After starting a load of laundry, Debra called and made appointments for her and Ray at the new spa in town. She had already taken advantage of their pedicure and manicure offers, as well as their massage therapists. Debra knew it would take Ray a little while to warm up to the idea of going to a spa, but once he was there he would love it.

"Yes," Debra said to the receptionist on the other line, "that's right, the King and Queen package…..No, that's fine. Wonderful!...Saturday starting at nine…..okay. Thank you very much."

Debra hung up the phone and wrote down the time of their appointments on a pad of paper near the phone.

"So you coming over to watch the game this Saturday?" Bernie asked Ray as he swallowed the last bite of pepperoni pizza.

"I can't," Ray said, loosely folding his hands in front of him, "Debra made plans for us."

"Oh come on," Bernie said," You gotta come."

"Nah, not this time," Ray turned Bernie down. "Besides, it's pre-filmed. I was there."

"Oh yeah," Bernie remembered, "Well ya know, it never hurts to see the game from a different point of view."

Ray pulled a few singles from his wallet and tossed them down onto the red and white checkered table cloth. He and Bernie got up from the table.

"So, what exactly are you and Debra doing?' Bernie asked as he paid his lunch bill.

"Oh ya know,' Ray shied away from the question, "Just…..stuff."

Ray managed to dodge the question. Soon it was time to go back home to Debra and the kids. The week went by fast, and Saturday finally rolled around.

"So what exactly are we doing today?" Ray asked Debra as he lathered himself with a bar of soap.

"Well," Debra said, coating her eye lashes with masquara in front of the bathroom mirror, "first we'll both have massages."

"Massages?" Ray was some what alarmed.

"Yeah," Debra continued, "and then we'll both have pedicures and manicures. Then we'll eat a gourmet lunch from the café there and then we'll finish the day up with facials."

"Oh no," Ray said, yanking the shower curtain back and grabbing a bath towel, "I'm not going."

"What?" Debra turned around to face her husband, "What do you mean, you're not going?"

"Come on Debra," Ray dried off his shoulders, "that's all girl stuff. Pedicures, manicures?"

"That's not true," Debra propped her hand on her hip, "I was actually having a conversation with a man a week or two ago while we both got pedicures, and he gets them regularly."

"And what does he do for a living?" Ray tied the towel around his waist.

"What's that got to do with anything?" Debra defended.

"Well, was his job manly?" Ray asked.

"Oh I don't believe this. He's an interior decorator." Debra responded.

"Oh that's just great. Real man-like," Ray said, "I'm just saying….nothing never mind. I don't wanna go. I'm just not comfortable with this whole thing."

"Fine, ya know you don't even know what it's like," Debra turned back to the mirror, "I can't believe you Ray."

"What?" He threw his hands up.

"I try to set aside some time for us," she turned back around to look at him, "to do something nice and you don't even appreciate it."

"Honey, no," Ray said.

"Ya know, it's okay," Debra packed her make-up back into her cosmetic bag, "I'll call and cancel. It's no big deal."

Debra's feelings were hurt. But it was nothing out of the ordinary. She tried not to take it personal. After all, she knew that he never meant any harm.

A few seconds of silence passed by and Ray realized he was being ungrateful and decided he would give the whole spa experience a chance.

"Okay, I changed my mind," He walked up behind her, "I'm sorry."

"Really Ray," she shrugged the sadness off, "It's okay. And you don't even know what you're sorry for anyway."

"Ye-yes I do," Ray stood up for himself and for once actually knew, "I'm sorry because I just hurt your feelings, and I guess I was being ungrateful. And I'm sorry for not wanting to try something new. So, please, I really want to go."

"But you just got through telling me you didn't want to," Debra zipped the cosmetic bag.

"Okay," Ray said, "But if you won't go with me, then I'll just go by myself." Ray walked out of the bathroom.

Debra paused for a minute, and smiled. She knew that Ray meant what he said.

"Our appointment starts at nine," She said as she squirted toothpaste onto her toothbrush.

"Nope," Ray jokingly said from the other room, "You can't go."

Ray felt nervous the whole car ride over. But strangely, a relaxing wave came over him when he set foot into the lobby.

"Hello Debra," the receptionist smiled, knowing her from the past few times she came in.

"Oh hey Nancy," Debra smiled back, "this is my husband, Ray. Ray this is Nancy."

"Hi," Ray nodded in a friendly manner.

"Well, Jeanna and Greg are getting the rooms ready for your massages and they'll be with you shortly." Nancy informed.

"Okay, thanks," Debra said, taking a seat on a leather couch in the lobby.

"Would you like something to drink while you wait?" Nancy asked from the desk.

"Ray?" Debra looked at him.

"Oh um well," He hesitated, "How about a…..a ginger-ale?"

"Okay, and for you?" Nancy asked Debra.

"Oh and I'll have a glass of red wine," Debra smiled.

"No problem. I'll be right back." Nancy said softly as she stood up.

"They have wine?" Ray asked Debra.

"Yeah," Debra said, "You want some?"

"Wine would be nice," Ray smiled a huge smile.

"Nancy," Debra asked, "Could you make that two glasses of wine instead of the ginger-ale?"

"Sure. I'll be right back." Nancy left the room.

Ray looked around him. The combination of the soft music playing, the quiet atmosphere, soft colors of the furniture, and the sound of a small indoor waterfall near by, helped him loosen up.

"This uh," The smile remained on Ray's face, "this is nice."

"Yeah?" Debra was pleased to see that Ray was warming up to the idea, "I knew you would like it."

"Here you go," Nancy said, as she brought them both a glass of red wine.

"Thank you," Ray said.

During Ray's massage, gel with lavender oil was used in order to reduce stress. As he walked out of the room to join Debra in the pedicure room, he felt like a brand new man.

"Hey there," Debra was already seated in a comfortable leather recliner-like chair and was wrapped in a white robe.

Her feet were propped up on a foot stool. They rested on a white towel in order to dry off. Her massage started a few minutes early, so it ended a few minutes early, and her feet had already been washed and exfoliated. Now all that was left of her pedicure was for her toes to be painted and buffed.

"Hi," Ray smiled, kissing Debra gently on the forehead before sitting down beside her.

"Hello," a small Asian man said, "Ready for pedicure?"

"Yes, yes I am," Ray said, sitting back in the chair.

The man put Ray's bare feet in a tub of warm water. Air jets sent soothing paths of soft bubbles to his feet. The man gently scrubbed Ray's feet and calf muscles with exfoliating soap.

"Is this the color you picked out?" A woman asked, holding a rich red color of nail polish in front of Debra.

"Yes, that is," Debra kindly said.

"Oh um," Ray looked down at the Asian man, "No polish for me thanks."

"Of course," The man smiled and laughed a small laugh.

For lunch, they were served smoked salmon in a light mustard sauce, along with a fresh green salad and fluffy golden dinner rolls. They laughed and had a wonderful time. But the day at the spa was just about over. For the facials, Debra and Ray were placed in the same room, and their eyes were covered with cucumber slices. They chatted about what they wanted to do when the kids were all grown up and off to college.

When they arrived at Frank and Marie's to pick up the kids, dinner was already prepared for the whole family.

"Ray?" Debra said, as she scooted into bed next to him, "Thanks for going with me today. It really meant a lot."

"I know," Ray said softly as he put his arm around her.

They shared a passionate kiss.

"And ya know," Ray smiled, "I actually wouldn't mind doing that again sometime soon."

"Oh yeah?" Debra said, leaning in to kiss him again.

"Yeah. I just might get my toes painted next time." He joked.


End file.
